Georgia Tech @ Kentucky preview

Ninth-ranked Kentucky begins a string of four straight non-conference games against Power 5 teams on Saturday when the Wildcats host Georgia Tech, ending a week-long break after a Dec. 7 home blowout of Fairleigh Dickinson. The Wildcats have played just once since Nov. 29 but showed no signs of rust in last week’s rout, getting a career-high 25 points from sophomore forward EJ Montgomery in his fourth game back following a right ankle injury.

“Well, he’s healthy,” Kentucky coach John Calipari told reporters after the 83-52 victory. “He’s being more confident. He’s playing more physical.” Montgomery has averaged 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks since coming back, helping the Wildcats win those four games by an average of 21.8 points. The Yellow Jackets also haven’t played since Dec. 7, when they endured their worst loss of the season and worst home defeat since 1981 - a 97-63 setback against Syracuse. Sophomore guard Michael Devoe leads the ACC in scoring at 21.4 points, but finished with only seven in last week’s rout.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (4-3): Devoe has scored 20-plus points five times and is shooting an ACC-best 52.9 percent from 3-point range, but finished just 2-for-12 from the field against Syracuse. Senior forward/center James Banks III did not block a shot last week and fell from the top spot in the nation’s rankings, but entered the weekend averaging four blocks per game (third nationally) along with 11.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Junior forward Moses Wright is shooting 55.6 percent from the field and has averaged 15.7 points and 10 rebounds across his past three games.

ABOUT KENTUCKY (7-1): The Wildcats have five players averaging double-figures scoring, led by junior forward Nick Richards at 14 points on 68.7 percent shooting from the field and a team-high 8.5 rebounding average. Freshman guard Tyrese Maxey averages 13.1 points and is shooting 31.4 percent from 3-point range, but has scored just nine points combined in his past two games. Sophomore guard Ashton Hagans has six or more assists in five straight games, and entered the weekend tied for eighth in the nation in assists per contest (7.0).

TIP-INS

1. Montgomery has posted a career high in points in back-to-back games, after scoring 16 on Nov. 29 against UAB.

2. Saturday’s matchup features two teams that entered Friday in the top 15 in the nation in field-goal percentage defense: Kentucky at 35.6 percent (sixth) and Georgia Tech at 36.6 percent (15th).

3. The victory over Fairleigh Dickinson marked Kentucky’s 600th win in Rupp Arena, where the Wildcats are 600-70 all time and 173-10 under Calipari.

PREDICTION: Kentucky 78, Georgia Tech 57